Day out with Thomas is a wonderful, national touring event that brings delight to children of all ages. The event includes everyone’s favorite blue engine, Thomas, along with many of his other train friends. There are multiple train rides, bubbles, bouncy castles, face painting, and many more child-friendly activities that will keep families busy for the entire day. I have had the pleasure of working at this event when it has come to my hometown for the past four years, and it is something that I look forward to volunteering at every summer. Although the event can be stressful, it is really rewarding in the end. Here are nine things that any person who has worked at this event will know to be true.
1. Coffee Is Your Best Friend
The event starts early; it starts way before what is considered a “normal” time for most to wake up on the weekend. However, that is when toddlers, the main audience of Thomas and Friends, are awake and at their prime. How do all of us volunteers combat this? You drink lots of coffee. The location of the event in the city I work in is conveniently located close to a Starbucks. Trust me when I say this; this coffee will get you through all of the craziness of the entire day.
2. You Know Every Single Train's Name By Heart
I wasn’t much of a Thomas the Tank Engine fan when I was younger. The faces on the trains freaked me out too much, so I never watched the TV show or the movies. However, after working at this event, you are bound to know every single train by heart. You will know the difference between Percy and Henry, between Hero and Diesel 10, and between James and Rosie before the end of your first day.
3. Those Songs Will Get Stuck In Your Head
Day Out With Thomas always has Thomas and Friend’s greatest hits playing over loudspeakers on an endless loop throughout the event. I am being serious when I say this. No matter how much you try to prevent it, the lyrics to songs like, “It’s Great to be an Engine” and “Sir Topham Hat” will be forever engrained into your memory. One day you will just be doing a normal, everyday task like laundry, and you will start humming the melody to one of those songs. It’s something that can’t be prevented.
4. The Cheese Curds Are The Best
There isn’t much to be said about this. The Cheese Curds served by the “Red Shirts” (the concession stand at the event) are some of the yummiest things any volunteer have ever eaten. Maybe it is the stress and tiredness talking, but we all crave those Cheese Curds every summer when we work at the event.
5. Sir Topham Hat Confuses You
Sir Topham Hat is the conductor of the railroad on the Island of Sodor, and he also does meet and greets at the event. No one really knows why these young kids want to walk up to this character, hug him, and take a picture with him. You never look into his eyes, as there is a big, black void in his soul. It is even creepier dressing up in the costume as him. Coming from me, someone who has been inside the suit before, it feels like you are one of those creepy clowns just waiting to snatch little children.
6. Babies Hate Temporary Tattoos
This one should be obvious, but thousands of parents will ask you to put a temporary tattoo on their infants. The parents know that the child will hate it, you know the child will hate it, even the child knows that he or she will hate it, but you are still forced to apply a tattoo of Thomas the Tank Engine on the child anyways. Be prepared, because as soon as the cold, wet sponge touches the ankle of the baby, everyone watching you will think you are torturing the poor kid.
7. Never Go Near The Bubbles If Possible
One of the favorite activities of the children who attend Day Out with Thomas is the gigantic bubble pit. This pit consists of several kiddie pools that are filled high with dish soap suds. The kids love playing in these bubbles. However, these bubbles love to stick to your clothes, and can only come off if you are sprayed with a garden hose. Unless you want to get bubbles all over your car at the end of the day, or you want to drive home looking like a soaked rat, you know to stay away from these bubbles.
8. You Obtain The Largest Leg Muscles
Most volunteers end up standing for most of the day, and you also do a fair amount of running around as well. This means that you grow the largest leg muscles known to man. A chair is like a piece of gold, and they come far and few in between.
9. You and Your Fellow Volunteers Become A Family
Throughout all of the mayhem that goes on throughout the event weekend, your fellow volunteers/coworkers are always by your side. You all go through a lot of stress and hard work to make the customers happy, and you all grow a few gray hairs in the process. No matter what happens, the other volunteers have your back, and this shared, stressful experience will bond you together for a lifetime.
